TheJakartaPost
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Buddhist pilgrims to visit Sri Lanka
INDONESIA: After a quarter-century of civil war ended in May 2009, Sri Lanka is back on track to lure investors and tourists
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NDONESIA: After a quarter-century of civil war ended in May 2009, Sri Lanka is back on track to lure investors and tourists. More than 100 Buddhist pilgrims from Indonesia will visit the island state this weekend, a Sri Lankan envoy says.
“For the first time, a large number of Indonesian Buddhists are going to visit Buddhist shrines in Sri Lanka. This tour was arranged by Hadaya Vatthu Foundation president Charles Hardono,” Sri Lankan Ambassador to Indonesia Maj. Gen. Nanda Mallawaarachchi told The Jakarta Post on Friday.
“The Sri Lankan Tourism Promotion Bureau has made special preparations to welcome them in Sri Lanka. I think it’s the right time, as Buddhists all over the world are celebrating the 2600th Sambuddha Jayanthi this year”.
Buddhists constitute around 1 percent of the population in Indonesia. Home to the world’s largest Muslim population, Indonesia also boasts the world’s largest Buddhist temple, Borobudur, a UNESCO world heritage site.
From the political point of view, Ambassador Nanda said, now was the right time as well.
